Usage:
I submitted my final paper of the Spring semester almost exactly a month ago, but I'm still trying to get used to this elusive thing we call "free time." I promised myself and my professors that I'd give myself a little bit of a mental break this summer, so though I've been doing some reading at a leisurely pace, I haven't been devoting a whole lot of attention to my academic pursuits. I'm still working at my office job through the end of July, but I only work there 20 hours a week, so I'm home from work on Mondays and Wednesdays. It's great, and I feel fully rested, but to be completely honest, I hardly know what to do with myself. I'm used to being the queen of the to-do list.

As part of my ongoing project to learn how to relax, Anne-Marie and I finally arranged to meet up for lunch at a popular neighborhood in the city. It wasn't the closest spot between our two houses. It wasn't beautiful weather. We didn't have a specific time by which we had to leave. We didn't have a plan for a restaurant at which to meet. It was perfectly impractical! Our friendship has largely been defined by carving out time to talk amidst looming deadlines, so it was fun to get together to eat, chat, and wander outside those constraints. We even found, in one shop, a "not to-do list" on which to write all the things one is not going to accomplish that day! (Should have bought it.)

I also used this outing as part of my ongoing project to learn how to put together casually chic ensembles. Since it was cooler, I was excited to pull my skinnies and this thin knit "boyfriend" sweater back out of the closet. When I purchased the sweater early in the spring, I wore it fairly frequently because I love the color. But the mild weather gave me a genius idea: I could cuff up the sleeves and wear it elbow length! I would have photographed the sweater with the sleeves down to show you how much better it looks cuffed, but it takes a lot of work to make cuffs look effortlessly folded! Believe me when I tell you, though, that the slouchy fit, the pockets, and the length of this sweater look way better with cuffed sleeves than with long sleeves. Though it would have made my legs look longer to leave the jeans uncuffed, I decided to cuff them as well. I like how the cuff on the jeans "goes" with the cuffed sleeves, and I also like how the jean cuff introduces a third shade of blue to the look.

I'm used to dressing up to perform professionalism, and I definitely noticed that the easy, relaxed perfection I felt in this look really helped set the tone for my easy, relaxed outing with Anne-Marie. I hope I continue to find success in my attempts to use clothing to help me separate this summer break from my regularly scheduled program. I hope you're all enjoying an easy, relaxed weekend!

Prompts:

If you had a whole day off from your regular responsibilities, what would you do with it?

Academics, what are some strategies you've found useful in making the transition from in-semester rigor to out-of-semester relaxation? (Yes, I realize I'm asking you to help me strategize my relaxation. You can't take the academic out of the girl entirely, I guess.)

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comments:

It seems that a good get-to-know-each-other question is "what do you do in your free time?" Each time I've been asked that in the last week, I've just kind of stared blankly back at the person. I was so busy at school last year that any "free time" was spent sleeping or studying, so I don't really know how to answer the question.

I say just because it's summer doesn't mean you can't have a to do list. Think of things you'd like to accomplish and have somewhat of a summer "bucket list."

For instance, mine would say:1. Wake up without being ridiculously sore 2. Don't let any kids fall off the climbing wall... that kind of stuff :)

I currently work full-time in a research field and teach an online course in the evenings. If I were a younger woman, a whole day off would probably involve a date, or a movie, or a workout, or a shopping extravaganza, or a visit to a new coffeeshop...

Now that I'm old and grey, my most recent unexpected free day was spent watching all 13 episodes from the first season of "Lie To Me". Not as energetic as in the past, but it was wonderful all the same!

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